No.  48; 

THE  KING'S  MESSENGER. 


Jeffry  Hayes  was  a  person  of  considerable  impor- 
tance to  his  little  neighborhood,  for  not  only  was  he  the 
champion  of  every  malcontent  who  braved  a  quarrel,  and 
resolved  to  fight  it  out  with  the  offender,  but  he  had  the. 
first  and  surest  news  in  days  when  armed  horsemen  did 
the  work  now  performed  by  rail  and  telegraph,  and  when 
gossips,  bursting  with  impatience,  rushed  to  the  black- 
smith's forge  to  hear  from  his  lips  the  last  report  left 
behind  by  some  galloping  rider  who  had  been  detained 
while  his  horse  was  shod. 

Jeffry  did  not  fail  to  make  the  most  of  such  opportu- 
nities; and  at  a  time  when  insurrection  had  disturbed  a 
portion  of  the  King's  dominions,  he  was  in  the  height  of 
village  popularity,  dispensing  news,  and  leading  politics, 
and  enjoying  the  well-earned  distinction  of  being  known 
as  the  best  craftsman  of  his  kind,  and  the  most  loyal  to 
be  found  on  the  great  London  road. 

One  dark  evening,  as  usual,  the  bright  fire  from  the 
smithy  of  Jeffry  Hayes  flung  its  ruddy  glow  aross  the 
highway ;  the  sounds  of  labor  had  ceased,  and  several  idle 
villagers  were  lounging  round  their  oracle  until  he  should 
think  proper  to  put  out  his  fire,  and  adjourn  with  ttem 
to  the  nearest  ale  house.  The  smith  himself,  with  broad 
shoulders  and  muscular  arm,  was  flourishing  his  great 
hammer  to  the  eager  narrative  of  an  angry  youth,  who 
was  telling  of  an  insult  he  wished  to  avenge,  and  was 
enlisting  the  pugnacious  sympathies  of  his  athletic  friend, 
who  praised  his  courage,  and  promised  all  honorable  as- 
sistance on  the  occasion. 


2  The  King's  Messenger. 

"  Ah,  I  was  sure  you  would  stand  by  me  and  see  jus- 
tice done/'  said  the  obliged  challenger. 

"  That  will  I,"  said  Hayes,  warmly.  "Fix  time  and 
place,  and  I'll  be  there  to  the  minute,  if  the  high-sheriff 
himself,  on  his  majesty's  errand,  brought  his  horse  to  be 
shod,  as  no  one  but  Jeffry  Hayes  can  do  it.  But  hark  ! 
here  comes  a  horseman,  and  I  hear  bjr  the  foot-fall  there's 
work  to  be  done  yet.  Stand  by  my  lads,  and  let  the 
gentleman  ride  straight  in." 

In  a  few  seconds  more  a  horseman  rode  up,  and  asked 
if  a  lost  shoe  could  be  replaced  at  once. 

"  Just  in  time,  sir,''  said  Jeffry,  stepping  forward,  and 
lifting  the  hoof,  while  the  rider  dismounted,  and  leaning 
against  the  door-post,  surveyed  by  firelight  the  several 
persons  in  the  shed. 

"You've  ridden  hard  and  far,  sir,"  remarked  the  smith, 
as  he  proceeded  to  work. 

"  Yes ;  and  must  go  farther  still  before  I  rest,  replied 
the  stranger. 

"Important  business  on  hand,  I  suppose,  sir,"  said 
Jeffry." 

"  Yery.  I  am  a  King's  messenger,  and  must  not  loiter 
on  my  way." 

If  hammer  could  speak,  that  of  Jeffry  Hayes'  would 
have  borne  witness  to  the  right  royal  grasp  of  its  master's 
powerful  hand,  as  he  swung  it  with  increased  vehemence 
an^  precision  on  hearing  this  intelligence. 

"Good  news  at  court,  I  hope,  sir,"  said  he  pompously. 

"  The  very  best.     A  free  pardon  for  all  rebels." 

"A  free  pardon!"  exclaimed  all  at  once.  "What! 
after  all  they  have  said  and  done." 

"Free,  unconditional  pardon,"  repeated  the  traveler; 
"  except  it  be  considered  a  condition  that  they  accept  it." 


£/*^ 

.The  King's  Messenger.  3 

"  They  can't,  surely,  but  do  that,"  exclaimed  Jeffry ; 
"  the  very  thought  of  such  clemency  ought  to  make  them 
lay  down  their  arms,  and  be  true  subjects  for  the  rest  of 
their  lives.'' 

"  Yet,  strange  to  say,  that  the  fact  though  quite  certain, 
does  not  do  it." 

"  What,  are  they  going  on  in  rebellion  in  the  face  of 
pardon,  and  with  no  hope,  either,  of  success  to  their  cause 
at  last?" 

"  Even  so,  except  here  and  there  one  who  sees  things 
in  a  better  light." 

11  Well,  then,  they  deserve  execution ;  and  why  should 
not  justice  take  its  course?"  said  the  blacksmith,  fiercely. 
"  My  opinion  is,  that  it's  possible  to  be  too  lenient;  and 
loyal  men  look  to  governments  to  do  their  duty  without 
fear  or  favor." 

"  You  would  have  me  believe  that  you  are  not  a  rebel 
yourself,  friend,"  said  the  stranger,  in  a  low  voice,  to  the 
smith. 

"  I !  Yes,  I  would  like  to  see  the  man  who  dares  call 
me  a  rebel,"  said  Jeffry  Hayes,  with  the  voice  of  a  Sten- 
tor,  and  mingling  his  speech  with  many  terrible  oaths ; 
"  he  should  know  something  of  this  arm ;"  and  down 
came  the  hammer  upon  the  anvil  with  a  blow  that  made 
the  roof  ring  again. 

"Then  that  dare  I,"  said  the  traveler,  boldly;  "and 
your  own  lips  have  condemned^ppu."  • 

"  You  had  better  mount  and  begone,"  whispered  a  vil- 
lager, at  the  sight  of  Jeffry's  face  like  a  thundercloud,  as 
he  slowly  lifted  himself  from  bending  over  the  horse's 
hoof,  and  fixing  a  flashing  eye  on  the  stranger's  face, 
who  nevertheless  stood  unmoved  and  undismayed,  adding 
deliberately — 


4  The  King's  Messenger. 

"  l  Thou  shalt  not  take  the  name  of  the  Lord  thy  God 
in  vain ;  for  the  Lord  will  not  hold  him  guiltless  that 
taketh  His  name  in  vain.'  So  runs  the  holy  law,  and  I 
call  you  all  to  witness  that  no  loyal  man  trifles  with  or 
profanes  the  name  of  the  prince  he  loves  and  serves. 
How  say  you,  friends ;  is  it  not  rebellion  against  God 
wilfully  and  continually  to  break  and  despise  bis  law  ?" 

"There  was  no  answer,  and  Jeff'ry  was  busy  with  the 
shoe  again. 

"But,"  continued  the  stranger,  "I  told  you  that  I  am 
the  King's  messenger,  bearing  unconditional  free  pardon 
to  all  who  will  accept  it.  All  have  sinned,  all  are  rebels; 
but  God  who  is  rich  in  mercy,  'so  loved  the  world,  that 
He  gave  his  only  begotten  Son,  that  whosoever  believeth 
in  Him  should  not  perish,  but  have  everlasting  life.'  Is 
it  not  enough  to  silence  the  blasphemous  tongue,  and 
make  him  reverence  the  God  who  loves  like  this  ?  Will 
you  accept  free  pardon,  and  act  out  your  own'views  of 
its  consequences,  my  honest  friend  ?" 

"Why  ask  only  me?  there  be  others  here  who  need 
it  fully  as  much,"  said  the  smith,  in  a  surly  tone. 

"  I  do  say  it  to  all.  '  Whosoever  will,  let  him  take  of 
the  water  of  life  freely.'  I  have  no  reserves  on  my  list, 
but,  according  to  my  royal  Master's  will,  I  repeat  His 
own  proclamation  to  ever}'  sinner — '  He  that  believeth 
on  Him  that  sent  me  hath  everlasting  life,  and  shall  not 
cojpe  into  condemnation  " 

"  I  thought  you  were  on  an  errand  from  the  real  court, 
and  not  making  up  a  tale  to  preach  to  us,"  said  Hayes. 

"  It  is  no  made-up  tale ;  it  is  solemn  truth,  as  you  will 
one  day  prove ;  and  as  God,  the  King  of  kings,  is  real — 
as  heaven  and  hell  are  real — I  beseech  you,  as  though 
God  Himself  besought  you  by  me,  receive  His  offers  of 


The  King's  Messenger.  5 

pardon  and  grace,  and  be  reconciled  to  Him.  No  man 
who  is  reconciled  to  God  talks  as  you  talk.  Of  your 
deeds  and  ways  I  know  nothing ;  but  your  own  conscience 
will  tell  you  whether  you  live,  and  speak,  and  act,  like  a 
follower  of  the  gentle,  loving  Saviour." 

"  Your  horse  is  shod,  sir." 

"  I  thank  you,  heartily,  for  good  speed  and  good  work," 
said  the  stranger,  placing  the  charge  in  the  hands  of  the 
smith,  "  and  I  pray  that,  by  the  operation  of  the  grace  of 
God  upon  your  heart,  your  feet  may  soon  be  shod  with 
the  preparation  of  the  gospel  of  peace.  You  carry  on 
more  than  your  mere  trade  in  this  workshop,  friend ;  see 
to  it  that  the  record  be  written  by  Him  who  keeps  a  book 
of  remembrances  of  them  that  fear  the  Lord  and  think 
upon  His  name.  What  a  messenger  you  might  be  of  love 
and  mercy  from  the  Prince  of  peace  to  those  who  come 
to  talk  with  you  here." 

"  They  would  not  come  for  a  sermon,  I  reckon,"  said 
Jeffry,  attempting  to  laugh,  as  he  looked  round. 

"Try  it;  and  the  next  piece  of  iron  you  mould  by 
yonder  fire,  liken  it  in  your  mind  to  a  hard  human  heart, 
cast  under  the  softening  influence  of  Divine  love,  and  re- 
shaped by  the  omnipotent  Creator  for  holy  and  happy  uses. 
Good  night,  friends  all,  and  the  Lord  be  with  you." 

"Stop,  sir,"  said  the  smith,  stepping  after  the  traveler, 
"  who  are  you  that  talks  to  Jeffry  Hayes  in  this  uncom- 
mon way  ?"  £  • 

"  One  who  had  a  message  from  God  unto  you,  and  has 
delivered  it,"  replied  the  stranger,  as  he  rode  quickly 
away. 

About  half  an  hour  afterwards,  as  Mary  Hayes  sat 
knitting  by  her  cottage  fire,  she  was  surprised  by  the 
arrival  of  her  husband  full  two  hours  before  his  usual 


6  The  King's  Messenger. 

time.  Being  a  person  of  good  sense,  she  offered  no  com- 
ment, but  set  his  chair,  and,  while  he  washed  away  the 
marks  of  his  daily  toil,  prepared  supper.  Hayes  did  not 
seem  to  have  much  appetite,  nor  disposed  to  be  very  com- 
municative, but  after  looking  at  the  fire  for  some  time,  be 
suddenly  spoke. 

"  Mary,"  said  he,  "  have  we  got  a  Bible  ?" 

"  A  Bible !  Oh,  yes  ;  don't  you  remember  the  big  book 
that  mistress  gave  me  when  we  were  married  ?" 

"Ah,  to  be  sure!  Get  it,  will  you?  I  want  to  find 
something  in  it." 

But  leaf  after  leaf  was  turned  over  in  vain  ;  the  Bible 
to  Jeffry  Hayes  was  like  a  foreign  land  to  one  ignorant  of 
geography. 

"  I  can't  find  it,"  said  he ;  "canyon,  Mary  ?  Something 
about  feet  shod  with  the  gospel  of  peace." 

Alas,  Mary  was  not  much  better  informed  than  her 
husband,  until  she  remembered  that  there  was  a  passage 
about  armour  in  one  of  the  Epistles,  whereupon,  with  her 
knitting-needle  to  guide  before  her  eyes  down  the  pages, 
verse  by  verse,  she  finally  settled  it  triumphantly  upon 
the  15th  verse  of  the  last  chapter  in  the  Epistle  to  the 
Ephesians. 

"  That's  it !"  said  her  husband ;  and  having  read  the 
verse,  he  read  the  chapter,  and  afterwards  the  Epistle  too. 

"Mary,"  said  he  again  after  another  reverie,  "there  is 
to^e  a  fight  between  Y^ng  Moss  of  the  Dell,  and  Will 
Croft  of  our  village." 

" A  fight!"  exclaimed  Mary;  "and  are  you  to  be  in 
the  thick  of  it  as  usual  ?" 

"I  promised  to  be  with  them,  and  see  fair  play,  and  I 
must  keep  my  word." 

'■  Then  what  have  you  to  do  with  the  Bible  and  the 
gospel  of  peace?"  asked  Mary,  quickly. 


The  King's  Messengek.  7 

"  I  want  to  see  if  we  can't  have  fair  play,  and  yet  no 
fighting,"  said  Hayes  thoughtfully,  "  and  I  shall  search 
here  for  a  way  till  I  find  one." 

Mary  marvelled  greatly,  as  her  husband  regularly 
came  home  every  evening  to  pursue  that  search,  and  she 
remarked  how  much  fewer  were  the  profane  or  angry 
expressions  which  now  mingled  with  his  conversation. 

The  day  fixed  for  the  fight  at  last  arrived,  and  Jefifry 
Hayes,  standing  between  the  waiting  combatants,  and 
surrounded  by  an  eager  ring  of  village  gazers,  took  a 
hand  of  each.  "  Well,"  said  he,  looking  from  one  to  the 
other,  ''which  of  you  is  the  most  like  Cain?  which  is 
prepared  to  show  himself  a  murderer  ?" 

The  young  men,  surprised  and  sullen,  sought  to  with- 
draw their  hands  from  the  blacksmith's  grasp. 

"Look  you,  my  friends,"  said  he,  "I  promised  to  come 
to  see  fair  play ;  and  as  I  helped  on  the  quarrel  in  the 
beginning,  it  is  fit  I  should  see  the  end  of  it.  I  tell  you 
both,  that  fair  play  is  to  forgive  one  another,  and  the 
bravest  of  you  is  he  who  dares  to  forgive  first.  Come 
down,  now,  and  talk  it  over  with  me  at  the  forge,  and  I'll 
prove  to  you  that  this  is  the  right  way  of  thinking. 
Good-morrow,  friends ;  there  will  be  no  fighting  here  to- 
day, I  promise  you." 

"  You  are  making  fools  of  us,  smith,"  said  one  of  the 
youths,  angrily. 

"  No,  no,  you  did  that  for  yourselves  when  you  quar- 
reled about  nothing,  and  I  want  to  see  you  wise  men 
again." 

"  What  a  queer  end  to  a  fight !"  exclaimed  the  disap- 
pointed villagers,  as  Jeffry  Hayes  marched  triumphantly 
off  the  ground,  with  a  stout,  sheepish-looking  youth  on 
either  side.    "  Only  to  think  of  great  Jeffry  Hayes  turning 


8  The  King's  Messenger. 

peace-maker ;  it's  as  good  as  a  fight  to  see  it,  so  we  haven't 
altogether  lost  our  time."        ***** 

Some  four  or  five  years  afterwards,  a  passing  visitor  at 
the  Hall  was  walking  through  the  village  with  the  squire. 
The  evening  was  drawing  on,  and  the  blacksmith's  forge 
was  becoming  conspicuous  in  the  deepening  twilight. 
"  You  must  just  look  in  here  for  a  moment  before  we  re- 
return,"  said  the  squire,  "  for  I  am  proud  of  our  village 
smith — he  is  a  tamed  lion  ;  once  the  most  fiery,  quarrel- 
some fellow  in  the  county,  and  a  violent  politician,  too, 
with  a  frame  strong  enough  to  enforce  any  argument  and 
carry  any  bad  majority ;  but  now  the  quietest,  soberest, 
and  most  Christian  man  I  know  of." 

Here  they  reached  the  forge,  and  were  respectfully 
greeted  by  Jeffry  Hayes. 

"  My  friend,"  said  the  visitor,  after  looking  at  him  for 
a  few  moments,  as  if  endeavoring  to  recall  some  recol- 
lections of  the  past,  "  if  I  mistake  not,  you  once  shod  my 
horse  on  a  dark  wintry  evening,  and  I — " 

"  Sir,  if  I  mistake  not,"  exclaimed  Jeffry,  with  a  glow 
of  pleasure  on  his  face,  after  an  equally  searching  look  at 
the  stranger's  countenance,  and  an  attentive  ear  to  his 
voice,  "  if  I  mistake  not,  you  are  the  King's  messenger 
who  bore  the  pardon  for  guilty  rebels  on  that  night.  It 
was  '  a  word  in  season,'  sir,  and  I  have  proved  how  good 
it  was.  It  led  me  to  turn  from  darkness  to  light,  and 
changed  the  village  firebrand  into  a  meeker,  happier  man, 
and  now,  by  God's  mer^,  the  rebel  blacksmith  seeks  to 
be  a  King's  messenger  himself." 

PHILADELPHIA: 

Published  by  the  "  Episcopal  Female  Tract  Society." 
Depository,  13 14  Chestnut  Street. 


M'Calla  &  Stavely,  Prs.,  237  and  239  Dock  Street. 


